Cassetta frame
Unknown Artist
early 17th century
Medium
Pine
Dimensions
Overall: 68 7/8 × 54 13/16 in. (175 × 139.2 cm) Sight: 51 1/16 × 39 1/16 in. (129.7 × 99.2 cm) Rabbet: 52 3/8 × 40 9/16 in. (133 × 103 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
Italian, Florence
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2113
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, cassetta frame exemplifies Florentine craftsmanship from the early17th century. Craft from pine—a durable, lightweight wood favored by Italian frame makers for its workability—this imposing frame measures nearly 69 by 55 inches overall, designed to encase a substantial painting (with a sight opening of about 51 by 39 inches). The "cassetta" style, meaning "little box" in Italian, features a central panel framed by bold moldings, creating a sense of depth and architectural elegance. In Renaissance and early Baroque Flor...